Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-19
CROWN JEWELS.
FRANCE DECIDES THAT SHE HAS
NO FURTHER USE FOR THEM.
Famous Diamonds which Have Figured
in History and in the Finances OF
Some French Noble Families-A Last
Look at the Treasures.

Some French Noble Families-A Last
Look at the Treasures.
Especial Correspondence
PARIS, April 80.
After much discussion in the daily press,
and several debates in both houses OF the
French parliament, the sale OF the famous
crown diamonds of France is on the eve OF It's
accomplishment. The sale will take place
May 12.) During the past weeks these pre-
cious jewels have been exposed to the public
gaze, and thousands of people have crowded
one Of the large rooms Of the Pavilion de
Flore-a wing of the Tuileries-to take last
look at them before they are dispersed to the
four quarters of the earth. The Partisan
papers are naturally just now full OF this
subject Perhaps the best account of the ad-
ventures attending the growth Of this royal
collection is that given by NJ German Bapst,
to whom I am indebted for most of the fol-
lowing interesting facts:
In the summer Of 1880, when Francis was
on his way to the Spanish frontier to meet
his future wife and the future queen Of
France, Eleanor Of Austria, sister of Charles
v, he created at Bordeaux the Treasure Of
the Crown Jewels" by presenting to the
state a part Of his most precious diamonds,
consisting Of a large necklace and six other
jewels, worth to-day nearly 100000 francs
Most Of these precious stones once belonged
to the able Ann of Brittany, the wife Of two
kings Of France, who received them from
Margaret Of Folk. One Of them was mag
nifcent diamond, which was known all
through the sixteenth century as the "Beau-
tiful Pointe," while a still more celebrated
ruby, weighing 2O6 carats, was called tine
coast of Brittany"
This ruby has had very checkered history.
During the wars Of religion it, along with
two other large rubies, was given to the Duke
OF Florence as a guarantee Of the repayment
OF 100, 900 crowns lent the French king. This
happened in 1869. and two years later the
jewels were restored to the state collection.
But Henry III needed money in 1888 and they
were handed over to certain Legrand for
93l7 900. Iegrand died without being REIN
bursed and it was not until the time of Louis
XIV, nearly century later, that Leg1and's
heirs were repaid by Colbert and the Jewels
restored once more to the crown. The
Coast Of Brittany" which was valued at
EGO 600, was stolen from the state during the
stormy days Of the French revolution
The crown diamonds were employed by
the rulers during the ancient regime not oniy
to I'LL an empty treasury but to ransom
towns. Thus, in 1864 Catherine de Medici
offered the English q diamond for which
Francis paid 65,O 900 crowns. provided thew
would surrender Calais to France. Five
years later the Venetian republic lent the
queen mother 100000 crowns, and received as
a guarantee cross containing nine dia-
monds and valued at 10000 crowns, and two
diamonds worth 110,O crowns.
Under Henry Ill the finances of the country
fell into such disorder that every state Jewel
was disposed Of John Casimir, Count Pala-
tine, carried Off most Of them to Heidelberp.
and, having placed them under glass cases on
) wagon, exposed them to the view of his
subjects.
Henry Nv exerted every effort to restore
20 the state these scattered treasures. and he
was ably seconded bv his great minister Su,ly
md by Nicholas Harlay de Sancy. whose
,ame has been inseparably associated with
he crown jewels of France. De Sancy was
It one time colonel Of the Swiss guards. at
mother time a diplomat and again finan-
Ter. He possessed several diamonds with
which he raised considerable money for
henry OF Navar re when the latter was max
ng that desperate and finally successful
truggle for the crown of France Among
hese precious stones was the one that still
'ears De Sancy's name, and which
10 sold in 1904 to James of
England, when the English revolution
roke out, Henrietta Maria, daughter of
lenry Nv, of France, and wife Of the unfor
innate Charles l, son of James I, carried off
, her native land this valuable diamond
eing in need of money, the exiled English
neen obtained from the Duke d'Eperon
800, 600 on this and another stone known as
10 mirror Of Portugal" As Henrietta WAS
nable to redeem her jewels, they were sold
1857 to Cardinal Mazarin, who, at his |
eath, ieIe them, as well as sixteen other dia-
'onds, to Louis XIV. These diamonds are
nown as tue Eighteen Mazarins," the first
cling the "Sancy," the second a tabu,ated
and the third the mirror of Por.
lgal." The first and the third were STOLEN
/ 1872. The "Sancy" finally came in pox,es.
on Of Charles w of Spain, who. during
lie hard times of the French invasion of the
sold it to raise money for prosecut-
g the war, and in 1923 it became the prop.
ny OF the Demidotfs, wealthy noble Rus
an family.
The celebrated Regent diamond found its
ay 10 the collection in 17I7. 1t was at first
AGED IN the center Of the royal crown. and
hen Louls XIV was proclaimed king the
ourbon lilly, which was added to the crown
al lhe Sancy diamond as its central stone
arie Antoinette loved to adorn herself with
ese crown jewels, and she was particularly
md OF set OF rubes estimated to be worth
i3,ooo francs. One day she had her ieweIer
arrange them, and added so many Diamonds
lat 1t was impossible to tell which were her
Vn and which she had taken from the royal
own
During the French revolution thieves brole
to the room where the precious treosu,,
as kept and carried off nearly all of the
wells. Arrests were made, several heads
ere cut off and some OF the diamonds were
covered But whole year passed before
e Regent" was found in dram shop in the
auhourg st. German quarter of Paris Tho
~ Napoleon I was crowned emperor at
otre Dame be carried this famous DIAMOND
| the hilt of his sword.
Napoleon augmented considerably tho
own jewels. In 1911 he bought not less than
OOo, 600 francs worth of diamonds. Durino
g reign OF Louis Philippe his queen did NOT
q the crown jewels, and during the Repub-
OF 1913 another theft was committees. dia-
onds valued at e292 900 being carried on b.
'ese crown jewels seem always to have suf.
red during republican regimes. Nav NOT
is be one OF the reasons why the third re.
lolic wishes to dispose of them and rid II.